I'm not crazy

June 10th 2023

June 10th, 2023, exactly 10 years from the day Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha were released from Konoha Mental Hospital as a young couple, promised to each other for the rest of their lives.

June 10th, 2023, exactly 10 years from the day they said goodbye to their friends who were in recovery.

June 10th, 2023, exactly 10 years from the day they promised to meet once again.

The car journey was long, and tiring for the young couple. With Sasuke in the drivers seat and Naruto sitting shotgun with his face pressed gently on the glass of the car window. Sleep washed over the blond, something that would have seemed impossible 15 years ago. Scars traced Sasuke's pale wrist as he kept his hand placed firmly on the steering wheel. Those marks were nothing more than memories of a bad past. Naruto slept soundly every night, even squeezing in a nap between work and being a husband. Sasuke never once thought about putting a blade to his wrist, and even developed a fear of blood when Naruto cut himself cooking one faithful Sunday morning. Problems that the two never thought they would ever overcome never even entered their mind now. They shared a life full of wisdom and teachings, no longer plagued by old fears.

As the car pulled to a stop in an old car park on a dreary Saturday morning in early summer, Naruto stirred, hope filling his heart once more as his eyes lay upon the old abandoned coffee shop from his youth. Blue eyes met black as Sasuke gave a small and hopeful smile. The small family got out of the car and walked towards the slightly broken building with prayers in their heart. The fog surrounding the area was thick leaving much to the imagination.

"I hope..." Naruto said, trailing off as Sasuke placed a strong hand on his lovers arm, Naruto looked up and met Sasuke's eyes who looked off into the fog. Naruto turned to follow Sasuke's gaze, settling on a small tuft of red hair that was appearing out of the smog. A smile broke out on Naruto's face, tears welling deep in his eyes slowly overfilling onto his cheeks as he ran forward with his arms wide, practically falling into the arms of his long lost friend. Naruto kept the red head tight in his arms before pulling away and looking into the eyes of the once incredibly suicidal Gaara. Tears were streaming down Gaara's face, almost mirroring Naruto's. Another hand was placed on the blond's shoulder, the hand belonging to Neji. The taller brunet was quickly pulled into yet another embrace.

"I've missed you both, so much" Naruto cried out as he kept his friendly close,

"we've missed you too" Gaara whispered weakly.

Soon enough, the three let each other go, turning to look at one another, "when did you get out?" naruto asked, still overwhelmed at seeing his friends for the first time in 10 years.

"Four months ago, we have an apartment now" Neji said happily, "you'll never guess who we moved next door to"

"who?!" Naruto asked,

"KIBA" Gaara shouted, interrupting Neji,

"Wait Kiba?! he's out?!" Naruto said, tears welling up again,

"yes, he's doing well" Neji said and smiled,

"is he... Is he coming?" Naruto asked, looking around

"He should be here any minute" neji finished just as Naruto was tackled to the floor by a familiar mop of light brown hair.

"Naruto!" Kiba shouted, crying hysterically, as he flattened his best friend.

Neji gave a slight laugh as he placed an arm around gaara, pulling him closer. Once Naruto and Kiba stood up the blond took a deep breath,

"come see Sasuke guys, there's someone I want you to meet" he said.

The three looked at each other, slightly confused before following naruto through the fog to where Sasuke was stood with a hand behind his back,

"Kiba, Neji, Gaara" Naruto began as he reached behind Sasuke's back, "Meet Kit!" he said as he pulled his hand out from behind Sasuke, attached to Naruto's hand was a small child with jet black hair and bright blue eyes, "we adopted him" naruto said with a giant smile on his face as the small child clung to naruto's leg.

"No way oh my god" Kiba said loudly, "he's adorable" Kiba waved enthusiastically to the young raven who clung to naruto even tighter,

"congratulations you guys" neji said, walking over and giving Sasuke a hug,

Sasuke returned the hug before catching something out of his eye, he stared at Gaara before blurting out, "you guys are engaged?!"

"What?! Oh my god congrats guys that's amazing" naruto shouted, causing Gaara to blush uncontrollably.

Soon enough, another car pulled up in the fog and out stepped Ino, Sakura and Shikamaru. Upon spotting the child, Sakura instantly welled up and ran over to everyone, followed by Shikamaru and Ino, who on closer inspection, was around five months pregnant.

"Oh my god who's the dad?!" Naruto shouted as soon as he noticed,

"Doner" Shikamaru said, raising his hand as Ino walked over and placed an arm around Sakura's waist and kissed her on the cheek.

Naruto felt his eyes starting to well up again as everyone spoke about their lives now that they were out. It was a weird feeling, it had been so long since any of them had seem each other but here they were, together, so much further in their lives, in each others arms once more.

Here they were, on June 10th, 2023.